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Al-Fitnah at the end of times:
Dear brother, we are still discussing the hot issues. According to the Hadith of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, we have been afflicted, but how is that? It is when Allah strengthens the enemy; He makes them very powerful and enables them to turn their threatening words into actions, so that they can bomb, destroy and plunder other countries, and they become arrogant, superior and defiant to other countries, to such an extent that those whose faith is weak will say, "Where is Allah?" Actually, this question was asked. Later on, Allah will show His Signs making the tyrants say, "La Illah Ila Allah (there is no Deity worthy of worship but Allah Alone)." There are two difficult tests, and nowadays we are having the first one. This test, dear brother, is called, according to the Quranic terminology, Fitnah. The subject of our lecture today is Al-Fitan (the plural of Fitnah)
The Hadith that fills the heart with tranquility is the one in which the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((Do not despise Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc) at the end of times, as it will take the last breath of the hypocrites (and oppressors.))
((Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghaib (unseen).))
Our Master Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "By Allah, "Even if the veils were raised (the unseen was disclosed to him), nothing would be added to my certitude in faith."
Allah employs the tyrants' oppression to serve His religion and the believers:
I swear by Allah, and I deeply believe that you will see out of these painful events goodness that no one knows of but Allah. That is because Allah the Almighty allows someone to be a tyrant only to put his oppression at the service of Allah's religion and the believers. Because of these afflictions, we have gathered and the differences have disappeared, we have become one united group. These events have touched the depth of our hearts, and so you can notice how the giving in the Islamic world went beyond imagination. Allah, the angels and all people have cursed them until the Day of Judgment. Sometimes people pay mythical loads of money to defame their enemy, but our enemies defamed themselves by killing children and women, that is why:
((Do not despise Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc) at the end of times, as it will take the last breath of the hypocrites (and oppressors.))
Thinking that Allah is not concerned with the current events is lack of uprightness:
There is either a clean believer who is straight and adherent to Islam, or a criminal disbeliever, and nothing in between. The evidence is:
((Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?))
Who is party which goes against Muslims? It is the party of the criminals:
((Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?* What is the matter with you? How judge you?))
((Do not despise Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc) at the end of times, as it will take the last breath of the hypocrites (and oppressors.))
((Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghaib (unseen),))
No one's faith is straight and true if he wrongly thinks that Allah does not know what is going on in Gaza, or if he thinks that Allah is incapable. Tsunami (which was a Divine punishment) equals a million atomic bombs, and it lasted for seconds only. No one's faith is straight and true if he mistakenly thinks that Allah is not concerned about what is going on:
((It is He (Allah) Who is the only Ilah (God to be worshipped) in the heaven and the only Ilah (God to be worshipped) on the earth.))
Holding onto a good thought of Allah is the price for Paradise:
There is great wisdom (behind these events) that we may know later on. This is how the believer thinks; he holds onto a good thought of Allah the Almighty. In fact holding onto a good thought of Allah the Almighty is the price for Paradise:
((Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghaib (unseen), but Allah chooses of His Messengers whom He pleases. So believe in Allah and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear Allah, then for you there is a great reward.))
Now the next Ayah is:
((Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested.))
Sometimes you find a person whose interests can be fulfilled by being a religious man, and so he keeps religious, but the minute his interests are being tested, he gives up his faith. Such a person worships Allah as it were, upon the very edge in doubt. Therefore, Allah will reveal the true believers and will reveal the truth about the Ummah as well.
The meaning of Fitnah in language:
Before we talk about Fitnah, let me explain its meaning linguistically: whoever Fatan (afflicted), Yaftun (to afflict) and Futunan (to afflict someone with a heavy trail) is an afflicter, and so He is the One Who tests people. Accordingly, the word Fitnah is merely a test:
((Then you did kill a man, but We saved you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial.))
It means that you (Musa) were tested, and you passed the test. When you look up the word "Fitnah" in a dictionary, you will find that it means the torment and the trial including the wars which are launched among people. Once there was an earthquake in Cairo, so some doctors ran away to Alexandria, while the sh3er went to the hospital to treat the injured. Many doctors entered the battle field in Gaza in order to save the wounded. This is a test:
((for sure We are ever putting (men) to the test.))
This life is the abode of testing, not the abode of rewarding. Fitnah is the test. When you say, "I have tested the gold", it means that you put it into fire in order to test its quality. Allah the Almighty says:
((Verily, those who put into trial the believing men…))
The meaning of "put into trial the believing men" is that the believers may pass this test.
Dear brother, the afflicted person is whoever is put into trail. Allah the Almighty says:
((tried you with a heavy trial.))
I repeat the Hadith:((Do not despise Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc) at the end of times, as it will take the last breath of the hypocrites (and oppressors.))
The believers' community is a cooperative, united, supportive and sincere one:
One of the most important Ayat in Allah's Book is:
((Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies to one another))
Those are the characteristics of believers; ((believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies to one another)). Their community is cooperative, in mutual solidarity, supportive and sincere.
Unless you take a stand against the crime being committed, you are a partner in crime:
((And as to those who believed but did not emigrate (to you O Muhammad, peace be upon him), you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate))
As long as you do not take an action or a stand against the crime committed against Gazs, you are considered a partner in this crime. Allah the Glorified and the Sublime destroyed the people of Prophet Saleh, peace be upon him, because they didn't do anything when one of them killed the camel. Allah the Almighty says:
((…and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, and made them equal in destruction (i.e. all grades of people, rich and poor, strong and weak, etc.)!* And He (Allah) feared not the consequences thereof.))
Similarly, because the Western world is silent and passive towards what is happening in Gaza, his silence makes him a participant in this crime. Allah says in the above Ayah, "They killed it" indicating that the silence of the people towards that crime was considered a participation in crime although it was committed by one person. Umar said, " If all the people of Sana' participated in killing a Muslim, I would kill them all."
Man will be called to account for the killing committed except the one killed in Hadd:
Dear brother, by Allah whatever a drop of blood is spilt unjustly, whoever is responsible for it will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection, and this is out of Allah's Justice. Some scholars said, "…with the exception of the blood of that who is killed in Hadd (Hadd is a punishment allocated and defined by Shari'ah as a punishment for infringing a certain prohibition or limit." Allah the Almighty says:
((Does man think that he will be left Suda [neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by his Lord (Allah) on him]?))
(("Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?"))
((On the Day of Resurrection, the just judge will experience an hour when he wishs for not having had judged between two persons even on a date.))
((So, by your Lord (O Muhammad, peace be upon him), We shall certainly call all of them to account* For all that they used to do.))
((Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, etc.) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.))
All people will pass over Hell on the Last Day:
Why does Allah the Great and Almighty say:
((There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is with your Lord; a Decree which must be accomplished.))
The scholars said that all people with no exception will pass over Hell. However, passing it does not mean entering into it. The one who passes over it and will not get hurt by its flames will witness the Justice of Allah by seeing those tyrants who ordered the bombarding, the destruction and the killing (of innocent people) and those who threw the bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki causing the death of 3.000 people in 3 seconds.
The Last Day is when the absolute justice is fulfilled:
Dear brother, the Last Day is when all problems are solved. Had there not been this Day, a billion questions would have been raised with no answers to them, whereas on the Last Day:
((And He it is Who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it has been perished))
((…that every person may be rewarded for that which he strives.))
There is absolute justice. Hence:((Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, etc.) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.))
Believers should cooperate with one another as the Kafiroon do:
The following Ayah is very important:
((Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies to one another.))
The Kuffar's society is an integrated, cooperative, sincere and generous one, unlike the Arabs' one. The doubts the weak people have about the Arabs and their wonder at their passive reaction make me about to believe that they are not Arabs. What a dangerous fact to see the Kuffar:
((And those who disbelieve are allies to one another,))
They cooperate, support one another, spend effort and money, stay up late at night working and plan (against Muslims):
((And those who disbelieve are allies to one another,))
The believers should cooperate with one another as well:((And those who disbelieve are allies to one another,))
Neglecting an Ayah has caused us all these painful events:
Allah says:
(((and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so (i.e. become allies, as one united block with one Khalifah - chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world to make victorious Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism),))
To whom does the third person pronoun refer? The Ayah is very precise"
((if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so))
The interpretation scholars said that "this pronoun refers to the previous Ayah as a whole", meaning that you should believe, emigrate, strive hard and fight with your property and your lives in the Cause of Allah and give asylum and help to one another:
((,(and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so (i.e. become allies, as one united block with one Khalifah - chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world to make victorious Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism), there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism, etc.) and oppression on earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism).))
This is what is happening to us. Hence, what we are suffering from these days is the very effect of the mistakes which we made 200 years ago; this mistake is neglecting the following Ayah in the Quran:
((And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war (tanks, planes, missiles, artillery, etc.)))
They have made ready against us all they can of power, while we haven't :
Faith, straightforwardness and connecting to Allah the Almighty change things:
Dignified brother, Allah the Exalted and Majestic says:
((Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed (the Qur'an) unto you (O Muhammad, peace be upon him), to fabricate something other than it against Us))
It means that the other accepts to have Masajid, religious celebrations, Islamic conferences, Islamic books, Islamic lectures and Islamic seminars, which are but Islamic appearances, and so they are accepted in the West. Unlike this Islam, the Islam of our brother in Gaza is acted upon; it is a practical one. Muslims need to have their words turned into actions, and they need to make ready against their enemy all they can of power. There is a big difference between the theoretical Islam and the practical one. Islam should be dealt with as a Method that is acted upon, and only then all equations change (to the favor of Muslims).
It is unbelievable how a small honest believing group could defy the strongest armies in the Middle East. It is even the so-rated fourth army in the world. A small believing group could face this army with all its aircrafts, the phosphorous, cluster and fissile, laser, concussion, incendiary and penetrating bombs, hovercraft, artillery and naval artillery! After 21 days of (this war on Gaza), Zionists were not able to hit any target, because the group they are fighting have faith, they are steadfast and they are connected to Allah, and so all equations change. Through this believing group, Allah the Exalted and Majestic has given us a refreshing dose, proving the Ayah in the Quran:
((Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed (the Qur'an) unto you (O Muhammad, peace be upon him), to fabricate something other than it against Us))
False interpretation, false Fatawa and cancelling Sunnah are ways to destroy religion:
All Islamic aspects are accepted by the other party, but still we need to change the method of our life:
((To fabricate something other than it against Us, and then they would certainly have taken you a friend!))
Taking you a friend means normalization of relations. When someone wants to hire your house with all the furniture it has and asks you to give him the key, you will not have any problem with that, but if he wants to make it his own, you will destroy him. This is what happening:
((And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little* In that case, We would have made you taste a double portion (of punishment) in this life and a double portion (of punishment) after death. And then you would have found none to help you against Us.))
The other party has been striving since the Prophet's Da'wah, till now:
((to fabricate something other than it against Us,))
They say that there is nothing wrong with Riba (usury) if the amount is little, they accept mixing between men and women and they agree upon things that Allah the Almighty has prohibited. The enemies of Islam are not able to cancel it. Therefore, they have manipulated it through misinterpretation, cancelling Sunnah or giving false Fatawa. The enemy has used three entries to demolish religion not entirely, but rather in a twisted way. In other words, they have tried to explode it from the inside, through adopting false interpretation, giving false Fatawa or cancelling Sunnah.
Every Man will be tested with what Allah Almighty has bestowed upon him:
The following Ayah is very precise:
((Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested.))
There is no way to live in this life without being tested. Imam Ash-Shafi'i was once asked, "O Imam, should we ask Allah to test us or to make us firmly established (in our religion)?" He said, "You won't have strong faith before you are tested with an affliction". Do not think for a minute that your life will be perfect just as you wish, and that you will never be tested in it. Never think that you can have all your interests fulfilled and have an imaginary income, a house, a family, kids and health, and then you can go straight to Paradise, absolutely not:
((Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test).))
Get yourself prepared for the trail you will be tried with.
Fitnah is one of life's characteristics:
Dear brother, I repeat, one of life's characteristics is Fitnah and the evidence is:
((for sure We are ever putting (men) to the test.))
((Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us you will be returned.))
You will be tested through money, health, marriage, obedient kids, a social position, handsomeness, fluency and eloquence. The test is: Will you employ these blessings in obeying Allah or disobeying Him? You might also be tested with poverty and sadness. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was hit in Tai'f, and he said:
((If You are not angry with me, then I don't care, …..))
He was also tested with victory; when the Noble Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, opened Makka, he entered it bending his head to the extent that the forelock of his turban almost touched his camel's neck, out of the extreme modesty towards Allah Almighty. Also, he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was tested with victory, and he forgave the captives saying:
((Go, you are free))
He was tested with oppression, and he was patient. Moreover, he was tested with poverty:
(("Do you have anything to eat?" they replied, "O Messenger of Allah! We have nothing." Then he said, "Well, in this case, I am fasting today!"))
He, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, had nothing to eat in his house. Furthermore, he was tested with richness:
((A man asked the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, "Whose is this valley of sheep?" He said, "It is yours." The man said, "Are you making fun of me?" The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him said, "No, I am not. By Allah it is yours." Then, the man said, "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah. You give (other people) like someone who never fears poverty.))
Also, he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was tested with sickness, was tested with emigration, was tested with having two of his daughters divorced and was tested with an unbearable matter; when his chaste wife, may Allah be pleased with her, was accused of infidelity, but he remained patient. Allah the Almighty says:
((Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad, peace be upon him) you have a good example…))
The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was put through different tests such as poverty, richness, victory and sadness. In Tai'f, after he was beaten, he went through another test, when the angle of the mountains came to him and said:
(("O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will cause Al-Akh-Shabain (the two mountains) to fall upon them." To which the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said, "No, do not do that. I hope that Allah will bring forth from their progeny people who will worship Allah Alone, and none besides Him. O Allah! Guide my people, as they do not know."))
He made Du'a for them, apologized on their behalf and hoped that they would bring forth from their progeny believing people. That is the Prophethood.
Losers are those who oppose religion and be with the other party when their interests contradict their faith:
Dear brother:
((Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us you will be returned.))
Whereas those whose faith is weak:((And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were, upon the very edge (i.e. in doubt); if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts back to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the evident loss.))
There is a precise Ayah that describes reality:((Of mankind are some who say: "We believe in Allah," but if they are made to suffer for the sake of Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as Allah's punishment,))
If someone's interests are going well along with his religious status, he believes in Allah, but when those interests are threatened, he considers the loss the same as the Hell, and so he forsakes his faith. This is clear; when his interests contradict his religion, he becomes with the
Remembering Allah should be in prosperity and adversity:
Man is forgetful by nature:
((When harm touches man, he calls to Us (for help), then when We have (rescued him from that harm and) changed it into a favour from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge (that I possess) I obtained it." Nay, it is only a trial, but most of them know not!))
Sometimes the temperature of someone's son goes up to 41, so he stays up all night making Du'a to Allah saying, "O Allah You are the All-Healer", and Allah the Almighty will graciously permit this disease to be healed. However, you will say, the doctor, as Allah wills him to be, is board certified and the medication we buy is effective forgetting about the Du'a he makes to Allah the Almighty day and night. Hence, he thinks that the reason of his son's recovery is the doctor's excellent experience or the effectiveness of the medicine he gives to his son. This is the case of whoever remembers Allah the Almighty in hardships and tends to forget Him in prosperity. It is a temporary kind of faith; it comes and goes, and so it is worthless. Even the worst Kaffer on earth calls Allah upon travelling by a ship, and even the atheist does the same. There were 7 atheist engineers travelling by a plane, and when the plane entered a cloud of an electrical energy, they unconsciously made Du'a to Allah. Thus, whoever remembers Allah the Almighty and makes Du'a to Him in adversity has valueless faith. You should remember Allah in prosperity; when you are in a good condition and everything goes well with you.The loud sounds of Hell's people asking Paradise's people for help:
Dear brother, the people of Hell will make loud sounds looking at the people of Paradise and calling them saying, "Were we not together? We lived together in the worldly" They will reply to them saying, "Yes, we were together." They could be neighbors, colleagues at work or shop's owners whose shops were next to each other:
(((The hypocrites) will call the believers: "Were we not with you?" The believers will reply: "Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations, you looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in Faith); and you were deceived by false desires, till the Command of Allah came to pass. And the chief deceiver (Satan) deceived you in respect of Allah."))
Sometimes a hypocrite could be someone who performs Salah:
((And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.))
Whose faith is strong can convince the other party of the trueness of this religion:
((And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely with Allah is a mighty reward.))
((And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of sh3er along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)))
((They said: "In Allah we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doing) (i.e. do not make them overpower us).))
(("Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the disbelievers,))
When a believer becomes negligent, when he does not make ready against them all he can of power and when his enemies win over him, they will brag about being right and that their religion is the true one. Whereas when the believer outstands them (in his faith), he will convince them that his religion is the true one. Therefore, if you become negligent, fall behind, give a false declaration, make a mistake, slack in or perform your job improperly , the other party will think, through you, negligent Muslim, that they are right:
(("Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the disbelievers,))
Fitnah requires awakening and returning to Allah the Almighty
The Ayat about Fitnah are many; there are about 70 Ayah. I have chosen some of these Ayat as we are going through Fitnah . This Fitnah requires awakening, returning to Allah the Almighty, having a new start with Allah and making inner change:
((Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah).))
I ask Allah, may His Glory be glorified, Almighty that this Fitnah will be the reason behind our reconciliation with Allah, our repentance and approaching Allah
